LIHU‘E — Scott Giarman’s find is a great way to fill a family’s disaster preparedness package and help the Kaua‘i United Way at the same time. “I was looking for ways to keep food in the event of a disaster
LIHU‘E — Scott Giarman’s find is a great way to fill a family’s disaster preparedness package and help the Kaua‘i United Way at the same time.
“I was looking for ways to keep food in the event of a disaster without having all the bulk and loose cans,” Giarman said. “I even went to the American Red Cross (one of the Kaua‘i United Way agencies) and on one of those visits, met this gentleman who had the solution.”
Giarman said a pre-packaged container of food which will take care of two people for 72 hours comes in a small watertight container and can be purchased in multiple units and stacked up.
“There’s no cans to get rusted,” Giarman said. “And if you open one of the vacuum-sealed packages, the others are still intact.”
An earlier model of the airtight, watertight container describes the food as having a shelf life of 20 to 25 years.
Marketed by Family Storehouse, Giarman said if people order the items, there is a special pricing of $56 for each “Two for 72 hours” package with a $10 shipping and handling fee.
“Of that, for each package ordered, $10 goes to benefit Kaua‘i United Way,” he said. “We’ve already gotten more than $800 from the firm, which means people have started ordering the items.”
The “Two for 72 Hours” package is the most popular food storage product, states the Family Storehouse website, which offers not only food packages but also pet survival kits, food storage units, freeze dried foods, pre-made meals, emergency kit supplies, sleeping bags, cooking/heating items, tents, water treatment kits, first aid kits and grain mills.
“Scott has one of the water treatment units, but we’ve not had an opportunity to try it out,” said Lori Almarza of the KUW office.
The two-person food unit comes in a small one-gallon container and can last up to 25 years, the website states. It is specifically designed to be compact so in the event of an emergency, a person can grab it and go. It weighs three pounds and has a handle to make it easy to carry.
June 1 marked the start of hurricane season in the Central Pacific region, running through Nov. 30, states a county release.
Preparedness is essential to surviving a hurricane or any major disaster said Mark Marshal, Kaua‘i Civil Defense Administrator, in the release.
“It is important for the public to plan and prepare for hurricanes, especially during the hurricane season,” Marshal said.
“Every family should have its own disaster preparedness plan which should include having at least a five-day supply of non-perishable food, three quarts of bottled water per person per day, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and an extra supply of prescription medicines.”
Visit www.familystorehouse.net, or call KUW at 245-2043 for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
